TIE Fighter Pilot - POTF2 [FF/TKC] - Basic

Defending the Imperial Death Star, a lone TIE fighter flies in tandem with Darth Vader's custom fighter. Both are closing in on Skywalker speeding through the Death Star trench during the Battle of Yavin.

While everything was new and exciting during the first two years of the modern Star Wars line, not all of the figures presented in the “red” phased of The Power Of The Force “2” [Red/Green] met collectors’ expectations. However, they put aside their discontent for any particular figure because it was more important that Kenner/Hasbro was making new 3.75” action figures for the first time in a decade. 1995 and 1996 gave us characters that were hit or miss, and some were both hits and misses and at the same time coincidentally. But one figure stood out from most, and that was the TIE Fighter Pilot, which hit retail towards the end of 1996. More streamlined than many of its contemporaries, the TIE Fighter Pilot quickly gained notoriety for being one of Kenner/Hasbro’s finest efforts to date in the lineup. Although imperfect, the TIE Fighter Pilot quickly gained the attention of Star Wars collectors everywhere, and the figure sold very well throughout 1996 and 1997 when it was repackaged onto a “green” card back. Due to its success and popularity, Kenner/Hasbro chose it as one of the carry-forward figures in The Power Of The Force “2” [Freeze Frame/The Kenner Collection] line for 1998. Part of the third wave of Freeze Frame Action Slide Figures, this was one repackaged figure that collectors didn’t mind repurchasing.

While still showing signs of hyper-muscularity, TIE Fighter Pilot showed collectors that Kenner/Hasbro was capable of creating streamlined Star Wars action figures that looked modern and updated without looking ridiculous. As you might imagine, TIE Fighter Pilot became one of the biggest army builders of the earliest Star Wars line because the figure was a tremendous step up from other Imperial characters they made up to this point. 1995’s POTF2 [R/G] Stormtrooper stands out as one of the greatest misfortunes in the rebooting of the line, but the TIE Fighter Pilot is anything but that. With incredible attention to detail, and correctly designed features (for the first time), the TIE Fighter Pilot was a sign that great things would come in the newly founded modern Star Wars line. Like the Stormtrooper, the greatest significant update is the inclusion of an articulated head. But in the case of the TIE Fighter Pilot, the hoses and chest box are sculpted separate parts that hang freely from the body of the figure. This feature allows you to move the head as needed without any encumbrances. On top of the enhanced articulation, the TIE Fighter Pilot also has carefully replicated features. In all honesty, as awesome as the 1982 vintage Kenner Imperial TIE Fighter Pilot figure is, it isn’t screen-accurate to the on-screen character at all. But the POTF2 version does favor the character well.

Now we have an interpretation of a TIE Fighter Pilot that resembles what was represented in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (as well as the other Original Trilogy films). It’s a type of relief to have a figure like this finally. The entire sculpt of the TIE Fighter Pilot is nicely done. And it’s quite refreshing to see all of the detail that just wasn’t captured years ago. It’s like looking at the character for the first time in 3.75” scale. The TIE Fighter Pilot comes with two accessories. Once again, Kenner adds what we assume would be screen-accurate if we could see it clearly, while the other larger blaster rifle (obnoxiously large mind you) is meant to be included for extra play value. The larger blaster rifle is so big that he can barely hold it, but admittedly, it’s a stunning new weapon and looks incredible when resting close to the body of the action figure. For the 1998 re-release, Kenner/Hasbro added a stunning Freeze Frame Action Slide, which captures both a standard TIE fighter as well as Darth Vader’s TIE Advanced x1 starfighter in the image as they shoot down the Death Star’s trench. These pack-in premium bonuses are highly collectible and allows Star Wars collectors to own a piece of the magic from the film, forever immortalized in a standard film slide. For us, the reissued TIE Fighter Pilot is a must-have action figure, and we don’t mind repurchasing it to acquire the Freeze Frame Action Slide.